musings of a 50+ year old

Tag Archives: 11-11-11

Today we honor those who have served or are serving our country. The first Veteran’s Day, formerly called Remembrance Day, was to honor those veterans of World War I…later it was changed to Veteran’s Day after World War II.

In other countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, poppies are placed on the graves of the fallen or worn by the living to show their gratefulness.

Since 11/11/1918 we have fought World War II, the Korean Police Action, the VietNam War, Desert Storm, the War on Drugs and the current War on Terror. It doesn’t matter the name. It doesn’t matter the place. It doesn’t matter the era. What matters is that moms and dads, brothers and sisters, wives and husbands, children and friends have fought, gone off to fight, or have trained to fight to preserve what this country stands for: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We salute these brave men and women and remember that all gave some and some gave all. Along with our allies we have defended our country’s honor and brought to it the freedoms our forefathers dreamed of.

They have lost battles and won wars. They have served in the Arctic cold and the hot desert. They have guarded the Land, the Sea and the Air. They have done what we didn’t do for ourselves: put their lives on the line for the rest of us.

And so at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we remember. We remember the men and women and their families. We wear our red, white and blue or the poppy to remember and honor those that have fallen and those that survived. We should thank our Veteran’s. We should honor our Veteran’s. And most of all, We should teach our children about our Veteran’s.

It shouldn’t matter if we agree with the reasons they went off to war. It shouldn’t matter if they won or lost. It shouldn’t matter if it was politically correct. What does matter is that they did as their country asked.

Thank you doesn’t seem like enough. And so I pray God blesses our soldiers, our veterans, their families and friends. Let freedom ring! For we are the home of the free because of the brave.